Supporting frame and tray for beds



' March 6, 1934. p VQRBECK 1,950,128

SUPPORTING FRAME AND TRAY FOR BEDS Filed June 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r u o R! Q, 3 3

I m I INVENTOR firs/P WRBECK /l TTORNE Y7 March 6, 1934. P. VORBECK SUPPORTING FRAME AND TRAY FOR BEDS 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20 [N VENTOR i ETER I/ORBEc a TTORNF Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT FFIE Claims.

This invention relates to supporting frames for trays and has for its object to provide a supporting frame which is adapted for attachment to any bedstead and which can be adjusted to suit any requirements for such a device.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the supporting frame that its use will not inconvenience the person using it.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the supporting frame that its attachment to the bed will not interfere with the bed coverings and will leave the person using it free to move without upsetting the tray supported on H the frame or without causing anything supported on the tray to upset thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide the supporting frame with a pillow support which is adapted to support a pillow in an angular position.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the supporting frame that it can be attached to and removed from the bed without inconveniencing the person lying in bed.

fhese and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description thereof which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the head end of a bedstead with my supporting frame attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the supporting frame.

Figure 3 is a vertical tray and its support porting frame.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of of a bedstead and thereto.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the supporting frame illustrating the locking members thereof.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The supporting frame for trays forming the subject matter of this invention comprises a pair of vertical uprights 1 and 2 which are connected by cross members 3 and 4 to suitably space the uprights and provide an opening 5 in which is hinged the pillow supporting member 6.

On the front of the uprights 1 and 2 are mounted to swing on the hinges 7A and 8A respectively the supporting members 7 and 8. These members are adapted to project from the uprights to hold the uprights in a predetermined position on the bed and at the same time support sectional view of the forming part of the supthe head end the supporting frame attached the arms of the tray support as will hereinafter be described.

In the front of the uprights 1 and 2 above the supporting members 7 and 8 are anchored the socket plates 9 and 10. These plates are provided with openings into which engage the lugs 11 and 12 projecting from the inner end of the arms 13 and 14. These arms have the tray support 15 mounted between them. The tray support is provided for this reason with pivot pins 16 and 17 which project from the middle of each side thereof into the slots 18 provided in the arms 13 and 14 and are clamped to the arms by the thumb screws 19 and 20. In this way the tray support may be adjusted in and out on the arms 13 and 14 as well as held angularly and horizontally between them.

To prevent the supporting members 7 and 8 from swinging laterally when the supporting arms 13 and 14 are supported by them, each of the supporting members is provided with a locking pin 21 which is adapted to engage into a suitable socket 22 provided on the underside of each of the arms. In addition each of the arms is provided on the under side with a ledge 23 which is adapted to engage the outside of the supporting members 7 and 8 and line them up with relation to the supporting arms.

As illustrated in section in Figure 3, the tray support 15 comprises a suitable rectangular frame having the under side closed by the bottom 24. The side and end members of this rectangular frame are rabbeted along the outer edge to permit the hollow under side of the tray 25 to telescope onto the tray support and be firmly held against movement thereon.

The pillow support 6 which is mounted to swing on the hinge 25A in the opening 5 between the uprights 1 and 2 has at the lower end thereof at each end a swinging bracing member 26 attached thereto. These bracing members are slotted and a pin 27 projecting from the sides of the uprights l and 2 engages into the slots of these bracing members. In one side of the slots of the bracing members are provided the grooves 28 and. the pins 27 are adapted to engage into these grooves to hold the bracing member in suitable angular positions in order to hold the pillow support in a correspondingly angular position.

The supporting frame for trays, above described, has the advantage of being constructed in such a manner that it can be mounted.- on the bedstead and the several parts thereof assembled without disturbing the person in the bed. Thus in mounting the frame to a bed the uprights 1 and 2 with their connecting cross members are slid down between the head of the bedstead and the end of the matress 31 until the supporting members 7 and 8, which have been swung outwardly, rest on top of the matress and hold the uprights in their proper elevated position with relation to the matress.

The arms 13 and 14 are then angularly placed over the supporting members 7 and 8 as illustrated in Figure 5 until the lugs 11 and 12 thereof engage the openings in the socket plates 9 and 10. The arms are then lowered into a horizontal position to rest on the supporting members 7 and 8 and have the locking pins 21 thereof engage into the sockets 22 on the under side of the arms, This looks the arms and with it the tray support H held between them in a horizontal position on the uprights 1 and 2. The tray support may then be adjusted in and out on the arms and lamped in either a horizontal or angular position. In a horizontal position, the tray support is ready to have the tray supported thereon and fastened thereto as illustrated in section in Figure 3.

When it is desired to support a book on the tray support it is swung into the desired angular position in which the book is to be held in front of the eyes of'the person lying in bed. The tray support may also be reversed to present a smooth surface on the top and. thus permit the person in the bed to play cards on the table.

After the tray support is adjusted, as above described, the pillow support may be adjusted to support the pillow in the desired angular position in front of the uprights and permits the person to be held in a comfortable position behind the tray support and the tray supported thereon. The supporting members '7 and 8 keep thepillow from sliding to one side while the pillow support holds it in the desired angular position.

I claim:

1. In a supporting frame and tray for beds the combination of an upright frame, a pair of sup porting members projecting from said frame to support said frame at a predetermined elevation,

said upright frame having a pair of holes therein above said supporting members, a pair of supporting arms, means at one end of said supporting arms adapted to engage into said holes in said upright frame and hold said arms supported on said supporting members, securing means connecting said supporting arms with said supporting members, a supporting tray pivotally and slidably,

mounted between said arms.

.said supporting members, a tray, means by which the tray adjustably held between said arms, a pillow rest pivotally mounted in said upright frame between saidsupporting members and means for angularly supporting said pillow rest.

3. In a supporting frame and tray for beds the combination of a vertical frame, a pair of supporting members mounted to swing horizontally on, said, vertical frame, a pair of arms provided with means vwith which they are anchored to said verticalframe so as to rest on said supporting members, meanscarried by said supporting membersand engaging said supporting arms to keep said supporting members in line with said supporting arms, a tray support mounted between said supporting, arms, anda tray surrounded by a downwardly projecting flange adapted to surround said tray support and hold said tray in position on saidtray support.

4. In a supporting frame for use .on bedsteads having a vertical head frame and a mattress horizontally supported in front of said head frame, the combination of an upright member adapted to engage between said head frame and said mattress and project above and below said mattress, supporting means projecting from said upright member in front of said head frame so as to rest on said mattress and hold said upright memher in a predetermined elevation and in a vertical position between said mattress and said head frame and a tray supported on said supporting means.

5. In a supporting frame for use on bedsteads having a verticalhead frame and a mattress horizontally supported in front of said headframe, the combination of an upright member adapted to engage between saidhead frame and said mattress and project above and below the top of said mattress, supportingmeans carried by said upright member in front of said head frame and adapted to rest on top of said mattress to hold saiduprightin a predetermined elevation and in a vertical position between said mattress and said head frame and a pillow support angularly 

